[DarkAngel]

Tell me about your favorite Messiah........very interesting work done as Handel was about to retire from the opera world which assembles vignettes from old and new testament into one joyous story line mixing great alternating arias and chorus parts.

I am now listening to the Christie/Harmonia Mundi version with a great vocalist group including amazing crystaline vocals of Sandrine Piau and the chameleon tenor Andreas Scholl. Piau and Barbara Schlick make wonderful animated soprano tandem with wonderfully ornamented arias that illuminate the entire performance, music is very warm rich toned for original instrument (reminds me of Jordi Savall style) so this is my first choice currently:

I own a few more versions that are very good also, but would like to hear what the other peeps out there think????

 

[juneamour]

I have three versions:

1. Sir Georg Solti at Decca CD
2. Sir Neville Marriner at Decca CD
3. Sir Adrian Boult at Decca LP
Joan Sutherland was the soprano in LP version.

I've never seen CD version of 3

 

[Aman]

My favorite Messiah is Eugene Ormandy's. I have it on vinyl and it's the most beautiful rendition I've ever heard, even if it's not as complete. It, to me, simply has the most heart and body to it.

On CD here: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg...=UTF8&v=glance

 

[pbalcer]

I have 9 different recordings of Messiah (yes, I know I'm crazy...

).

I like the most the performance by English Concert/Pinnock (with Anne Sofie von Otter). It is bautiful performance (I love period instruments) and very emotional.

The second place I would give to the performance by Bach Collegium Of Japan/Suzuki. This rendition is "delicate"/"soft" but still very emotional.

I also like Solti and Gardiner's recordings. Christi's performance is, IMHO, on par with those. It is very good indeed. Then there is Marriner (1976), Davis, Beecham, Mc'Creesh...

 

[Bunnyears]

DA,
I've read about that recording and it's been on my buy list for a while. William Christie is a great harpsichordist and Sandrine Piau is one of the great Handel and Baroque singers alive today. She and Renee Fleming are personal favorites. It seemed like a no-brainer to pick that up.

I've got multiple recordings of the Messiah as well, and I'm always looking for new ones. The one that I come back to over and over is the least HI performance, it is Sir Colin Davis conducting the Symphonie-Orchester und Chor des Bayerischen Rundfunks (Philips) and it is all about opera. The tempos are broader than what we have gotten used to with HI performance, the orchestra is modern, and none of the soloists is a baroque specialist. It's no longer in print, but it is simply splendid. For HI performance, the Pinnock is the one I listen to most often. But, it's time to get a new one so DA's recommend looks very interesting.

Also on the shelf: Harnoncourt, Hogwood, Marriner, and King's College Choir, Cambridge, Stephen Cleobury (chorus master); Brandenburg Consort (Argo - Decca). There are some more, but of indifferent quality and not worth mentioning.

 

[DarkAngel]

Quote:

Originally Posted by pbalcer I have 9 different recordings of Messiah (yes, I know I'm crazy... ). I like the most the performance by English Concert/Pinnock (with Anne Sofie von Otter). It is bautiful performance (I love period instruments) and very emotional. The second place I would give to the performance by Bach Collegium Of Japan/Suzuki. This rendition is "delicate"/"soft" but still very emotional. I also like Solti and Gardiner's recordings. Christi's performance is, IMHO, on par with those. It is very good indeed. Then there is Marriner (1976), Davis, Beecham, Mc'Creesh...

Thanks for ideas brothers and sisters, now to survey the damage to my wallet this has caused.

I ordered a couple more used Messiahs for collection from Amazon:
McCreesh/Archiv
Beecham/RCA

Mainly got those because my reasearch leads me to believe each is somewhat maverick version that will push envelope a bit beyond established standards.......they will join current collection of:
Christie/Harmonia Mundi
Hogwood/Lyre
Pinnock/Archiv
Richter/DG (highlights 1CD)
Solti/Penguin Classics (highlights 1CD)

Would love to see Gardiner do a new Messiah with better soloist team and modern sound vs 1982 Phillips version which is very expensive 3CD version even used.......can't justify cost, actually bought both Messiahs above for less than Gardiner used! Perhaps Phillips should have released this on mid price remastered "50 Greatest" series like they did for Gardiner's Water Music/Royal Fireworks CD.

 

[Masolino]

FYI, Gardiner's recording has been re-released on 2 full-priced CDs, at least as seen at the local stores and at CDUNIVERSE

.

 

[Bunnyears]

The Gardiner Messiah is available at Towerrecords for $27.19 new! I know that's pricey, but it's a lot less than the $39.97 listed at Amazon.

 

[Doc Sarvis]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bunnyears The Gardiner Messiah is available at Towerrecords for $27.19 new! I know that's pricey, but it's a lot less than the $39.97 listed at Amazon.

Gardiner's Messiah is, I believe, available in both a two-disk or a three-disk version (same recording). The two-disc version can be found used on Amazon for pretty cheap.

 

[pbalcer]

Quote:

Originally Posted by DarkAngel Mainly got those because my reasearch leads me to believe each is somewhat maverick version that will push envelope a bit beyond established standards.......

Bach Collegium Of Japan/Suzuki is definitely different and "will push envelope a bit beyond established standards" (so to speak). Becham's version is also different - it is very slow. Marriner's version (1976) is a bit different than "the standard" (whatever the standard is...), too.

 

[jamont]

Gardiner's 1982 Philips recording is my favorite - it's worth hearing even if it costs a little extra.

Beecham's RCA is worth hearing too, but I can't imagine it being first pick for most people.

Others I like are Davis (Philips) and Shaw (RCA), both from the '60s. Shaw's recording was out of print for many years, but has been recently reissued.

 

[Masolino]

People interested in the early versions of many favorite numbers in the oratorio should investigate Jean-Claude Malgoire's first (1980) recording, for reasons of curiosity if not strictly for performance and interpretation (which frankly are a bit flat and primitive by today's standards). But it's quite cheap and affordable. According to David Vickers at gfhandel.org, this, rather than the self-proclaimed Christie or Marriner recordings, comes closest to what was performed in Dublin in 1742. Like Hogwood's recording, all male-voices (in this case Choir of Worchester Cathedral) are used in choruses, a plus for me.

Malgoire's later recording of the music uses Mozart's orchestration.

 

[Masolino]

Also representing the 1754 Foundling Hospital version of the oratiorio, like Hogwood's and McCreesh's recordings, but not yet mentioned here is the Andrew Parrott/ Taverner Choir and Players account on Virigin Verita. IMO every bit as decent and "envelope pushing" as Suzuki on BIS and really more English-sounding.

Recently reissued with another Handel's chorus-heavy oratorio, the Isreal in Egypt, for ultra-cheap...worth trying!

 

[DarkAngel]

Masolino .......... you are bad bad influence, my will to resist is weak

I had somehow forgotten that the Parrott/Virgin Messiah features Emma Kirkby, so yes it must be mine! Also I have nearly every one of the Virgin budget 4CD for price of one sets.

Now I also have nearly every Naive 2CD tete a tete series, so looks like the Mozart orhestration will also need to be added.......the usual sound quality of Naive is amazing, so I hope we have the same here.

I may regret the Beecham/RCA purchase, but have to hear what "Beecham orchestration" sound like since apparently he ignores convention and plays Messiah as sweeping romantic piece instead of baroque style

 

[jamont]

Quote:

Originally Posted by DarkAngel I may regret the Beecham/RCA purchase, but have to hear what "Beecham orchestration" sound like since apparently he ignores convention and plays Messiah as sweeping romantic piece instead of baroque style

And he touches up the orchestration. You'll love it or hate it - it's like no other!